Substrate-permeable encapsulation of enzymes maintains effective activity, stabilizes against denaturation, and protects against proteolytic degradation.

How can enzymes be protected against denaturation and proteolysis while keeping them in a fully functional state? One solution is to encapsulate the enzymes into liposomes, which enhances their stability against denaturation and proteases. However, the permeability barrier of the lipid membrane drastically reduces the activity of enzyme entrapped in the liposome by reducing the internal concentration of the substrate. To overcome this problem, we permeabilized the wall of the liposome by reconstitution of a porin from Escherichia coli. In this way, we recovered the full functionality of the enzyme while retaining the protection against denaturation and proteolytic enzymes. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 75: 615–618, 2001.     

Novel proteases from the genome of the carnivorous plant Drosera capensis: Structural prediction and comparative analysis

In his 1875 monograph on insectivorous plants, Darwin described the feeding reactions of Drosera flypaper traps and predicted that their secretions contained a “ferment” similar to mammalian pepsin, an aspartic protease. Here we report a high‐quality draft genome sequence for the cape sundew, Drosera capensis, the first genome of a carnivorous plant from order Caryophyllales, which also includes the Venus flytrap (Dionaea) and the tropical pitcher plants (Nepenthes). This species was selected in part for its hardiness and ease of cultivation, making it an excellent model organism for further investigations of plant carnivory. Analysis of predicted protein sequences yields genes encoding proteases homologous to those found in other plants, some of which display sequence and structural features that suggest novel functionalities. Because the sequence similarity to proteins of known structure is in most cases too low for traditional homology modeling, 3D structures of representative proteases are predicted using comparative modeling with all‐atom refinement. Although the overall folds and active residues for these proteins are conserved, we find structural and sequence differences consistent with a diversity of substrate recognition patterns. Finally, we predict differences in substrate specificities using in silico experiments, providing targets for structure/function studies of novel enzymes with biological and technological significance. Proteins 2016; 84:1517–1533. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

An On-Demand Metalloprotease from Psychro-Tolerant Exiguobacterium undae Su-1, the Activity and Stability of Which Are Controlled by the Ca2+ Concentration

We reported an on-demand type of metalloprotease from Exiguobacterium undae Su-1. Although this species of bacterium is known to inhabit the permafrost, there are no reports on either strong proteases or peptidases. We found that Su-1 protease is superior to commercially available proteases in proteolytic activity in a lower to normal range of temperature (10–50 °C) as well as in rapid inactivation heat-dependently on the Ca²⁺ concentration. These characteristics meet well with the demands from food processing and manufacturing. Biochemical investigations of the purified enzyme and protein structural analysis after gene cloning confirmed that Su-1 protease conserved high identity in its primary sequence with thermophilic proteases of the M4 family. On the other hand, its flexibility was enhanced when one Ca²⁺ binding site was lost and by replacement for proline and isoleucine residues.     

Production, purification, and characterization of a novel thermostable serine protease from soil isolate, Streptomyces tendae

An isolate of Streptomyces tendae produced a extracellular protease which was purified to apparent homogeneity giving a single band on SDS-PAGE with a molecular mass of 21 kDa. Optimum activity was at 70 degrees C and pH 6. It was stable at 55 degrees C for 30 min and between pH 4 and 9. It was resistant to neutral detergents and organic solvents such as Triton X-100, Tween 80, methanol, ethanol, acetone, and 2-propanol at 5% (v/v). The enzyme was completely inhibited by 5 mM PMSF, indicating it to be a serine protease. N-terminal amino acid sequence did not show any homology with other known proteolytic enzymes. The protease may therefore be a novel neutral serine protease, which is stable at high temperature and over a broad range of pH.     

Modes of action of fraxinellone against the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens

Fraxinellone significantly reduced the relative growth rate, food consumption rate as well as the efficiency of conversion of ingested food into biomass of Heliothis virescens when incorporated into artificial diets at concentrations of 4.31 × 10⁻⁵ mol/L and above. After being fed with fraxinellone-treated diets for 24 h, the larval midguts of H. virescens possess significantly lower activities of α-amylase and non-specific proteases and higher activities of cytochrome P450s. In vitro , the compound did not inhibit the activities of α-amylase and non-specific proteases extracted from the larval midguts. Clear evidence of post-ingestive toxicity of fraxinellone to midgut cells was observed under an electron microscope. The modes of action of the compound against insects were discussed.     

蛋白酶抑制剂对绿豆象幼虫中肠蛋白酶活性的影响

为明确蛋白酶抑制剂对绿豆象幼虫中肠蛋白酶活性的影响,采用室内人工接虫和生化测定的方法,研究了在离体条件和饲喂条件下4种蛋白酶抑制剂对绿豆象幼虫中肠蛋白酶的抑制作用,并测定了绿豆象幼虫取食不同含量的绿豆胰蛋白酶抑制剂(MBTI)的人工绿豆后,其中肠内总蛋白酶、类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性的变化.结果表明:在离体条件下,供试4种蛋白酶抑制剂对绿豆象幼虫总蛋白酶、类胰蛋白酶和类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性均有明显的抑制作用,且浓度越大,抑制效果越显著,其中以20μg·mL^-1的MBTI对3种酶活性的抑制效果最强,3种酶活性分别比对照降低了62.5%、41.2%和38.7%,而卵粘蛋白抑制剂(OI)抑制效果最弱.绿豆象幼虫取食含不同抑制剂的人工绿豆后,中肠内3种酶活性也均受到一定的抑制作用,取食后随龄期的延长,3种酶活性有所升高但仍显著低于对照,且以MBTI的抑制作用最强.当绿豆象幼虫取食不同含量MBTI的人工绿豆后,随MBTI含量的增加,对总蛋白酶活性和类胰蛋白酶活性的抑制作用均逐渐增强,但对类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性的抑制作用并不显著,只有当MBTI含量达20%时,对类胰凝乳蛋白酶活性才表现出明显的抑制作用.     

Purification and Characterization of a Cysteine Protease from Corms of Freesia,Freesia reflacta

A protease (freesia protease B) has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from corms of freesia, Freesia reflacta by five steps of chromatography. Its M_r was estimated to be about 26,000 by SDS–PAGE. The optimum pH of the enzyme was 6.0–7.0 at 30°C using casein as a substrate. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid but not by phenylmethanesulphonylfluoride and EDTA. These results indicate that freesia protease B is a cysteine protease. Nine sites of oxidized insulin B-chain were cleaved by freesia protease B in 24 h of hydrolysis. The four cleavage sites among them resembled those of papain. From the digestion of five peptidyl substrates the specificity of freesia protease B was found to be approximately broad, but the preferential cleavage sites were negatively charged residues at positions. Freesia protease B preferred also the large hydrophobic amino acid residues at the P₂ position, in a similar manner to papain. The amino terminal sequence of freesia protease B was identical with those of papain in regard to the conservative residues of cysteine protease.     

DUB-1, a fate determinant of dynein heavy chain in B-lymphocytes, is regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway

Ubiquitination and deubiquitination of post-translational modification play counter roles in determining the fate of protein function in eukaryotic system for maintaining the cellular homeostasis. Even though novel family members of growth-regulating deubiquitinating enzymes (DUB-1 and DUB-2) have been identified, their target proteins and functions are poorly understood. Dub genes encoding DUB-1 and DUB-2 are immediate-early genes and are induced in response to cytokine stimuli rapidly and transiently. In order to explore the possible proteins regulated by DUB-1, we performed the matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis followed by immunoprecipitation. We confirmed that DUB-1 interacts with dynein heavy chain, which is known to regulate the movement of organelles and microtubule binding ability. In addition, structural and immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that DUB-1 contains a putative PEST motif and is polyubiquitinated, indicating that DUB-1 is also regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.     

两株蛋白酶产生菌的分类鉴定

前期试验筛选出两株具有产蛋白酶能力的菌株H1和H2。通过形态学观察及生理生化特征实验对这两株微生物进行了鉴定,初步确定H1属于短杆菌属(Brevibacterium),H2属于葡萄球菌属(Staphylococcus)。进一步测定了两株蛋白酶产生菌的产蛋白酶能力。H1在25℃条件下酶活为每毫升566 U,H2在25℃条件下酶活为每毫升628 U。     

蚯蚓纤溶酶分子生物学进展

蚯蚓纤溶酶是近年发现的一种新型的溶解血栓物质,属丝氨酸蛋白酶,不同种属的蚯蚓中均可分离到,具纤溶活性和溶栓活性。有较好的热稳定性,多为单体酶,多数兼有纤溶活性和纤溶酶原激活活性。不同种属的蚯蚓分离的纤溶酶性质上有一定差别。已获得多种纤溶酶的N端序列及部分核酸序列,相互之间及与某些蛋白酶之间有一定的同源性。纤溶酶通过降解目的蛋白的特定位点而起作用 。     

A Kunitz trypsin inhibitor gene family from trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.): cloning,functional expression,and induction by wounding and herbivory

Three Kunitz trypsin inhibitor genes were isolated from trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) by PCR and cDNA screening. Based on sequence similarity, they were grouped into two classes. Southern blots showed complex banding patterns and a high level of restriction fragment polymorphism between different aspen genotypes, suggesting that these trypsin inhibitors are members of a large, rapidly evolving gene family. One of the trypsin inhibitor genes, PtTI2. was over-expressed in Escherichia coli and its product shown to inhibit bovine trypsin in vitro. Both classes of PtTI genes are induced by wounding and herbivory, permitting rapid adaptive responses to herbivore pressure. The response appears to be mediated by an octadecanoid-based signaling pathway, as methyl jasmonate treatments induced the trypsin inhibitors. Wound-induced accumulation of trypsin inhibitor protein was also observed by western blot analysis. The pattern of expression, the apparent rapid evolution of TI genes, and the in vitro trypsin inhibitory activity are consistent with a role in herbivore defense. This work establishes the presence of a functional protein-based inducible defense system in trembling aspen.     

Purification,biochemical, and thermal properties of fibrinolytic enzyme secreted by Bacillus cereus SRM-001

The discovery of microbial fibrinolytic enzymes is essential to treat cardiovascular diseases. This study reports the discovery of a fibrinolytic enzyme secreted by Bacillus cereus SRM-001, a microorganism isolated from the soil of a chicken waste-dump yard. The B. cereus SRM-001 was cultured and the secreted fibrinolytic enzyme purified to show that it is a ～28 kDa protein. The purified enzyme was characterized for its kinetics, biochemical and thermal properties to show that it possesses properties similar to plasmin. A HPLC-MS/MS analysis of trypsin digested protein indicated that the fibrinolytic enzyme shared close sequence homology with serine proteases reported for other Bacillus sp. The results show that the B. cereus SRM-001 secreted enzyme is a ～28 kDa serine protease that possesses fibrinolytic potential.     

蛋白酶抑制剂对梨小食心虫幼虫中肠蛋白酶活性的影响

【目的】梨小食心虫Grapholitha molesta(Busck)是一种危害极其严重的果树害虫。中肠蛋白酶在昆虫生长发育过程中起着重要作用。本研究测定梨小食心虫幼虫中肠内蛋白酶活性的最适p H、蛋白酶抑制剂和激活剂对蛋白酶活性的作用,为利用蛋白酶抑制剂防治该害虫提供新思路。【方法】提取梨小食心虫3龄幼虫中肠液,利用酶专性底物测定各蛋白酶在3种不同缓冲溶液中的最适p H(dd H2O为对照)、蛋白酶抑制剂和激活剂对中肠蛋白酶活性的影响,同时测定饲喂蛋白酶抑制剂(PMSF,TLCK,TPCL和STI)后梨小食心虫中肠蛋白酶活性的变化。【结果】梨小食心虫幼虫中肠总蛋白酶在Tris-HCl,KH2PO4/Na OH和Glycine/Na OH 3种缓冲液中最适p H分别为10.5,11.0和11.0,强碱性胰蛋白酶的最适p H分别为10.5,11.0和11.0,弱碱性胰蛋白酶的最适p H分别为8.5,9.0和9.0,胰凝乳蛋白酶的最适p H分别为8.5,9.0和9.5。5种蛋白酶抑制剂(DTT,PMSF,TLCK,TPCL和STI)中,除TLCK对凝乳蛋白酶激活外,其他蛋白酶抑制剂对4种蛋白酶均表现为抑制,且浓度越大抑制效应越明显。抑制剂DTT对总蛋白酶和弱碱性胰蛋白酶的抑制效果高于其他抑制剂。4种蛋白酶激活剂(Mg Cl2,Ca Cl2,EDTA和EGTA)中,Mg Cl2抑制总蛋白酶和胰凝乳蛋白酶活性,而激活胰蛋白酶活性;Ca Cl2激活总蛋白酶和弱碱性胰蛋白酶活性,而抑制强碱性胰蛋白酶和胰凝乳蛋白酶,EDTA对4种蛋白酶均表现为抑制,EGTA除对强碱性胰蛋白酶表现为激活外,对另外3种蛋白酶表现抑制。用蛋白酶抑制剂PMSF,TLCK,TPCL和STI饲喂梨小食心虫幼虫,各抑制剂均可抑制4种蛋白酶活性,且在不同取样时间抑制水平不同。其中STI(50μg/m L)对4种蛋白酶的抑制效果高于其他抑制剂,且浓度越大抑制效应越明显。10,20和50μg/m L STI 3种浓度处理组,在取食后4 h时,4种蛋白酶活性升高,且上升程度与STI浓度有关;酶活性在20μg/m L STI处理后48 h,50μg/m L STI处理后60 h时最低,抑制剂STI表现出持效性。【结论】蛋白酶抑制剂对梨小食心虫幼虫中肠蛋白消化酶的活性具有一定的抑制作用,其中大豆胰蛋白酶抑制剂STI在害虫防治中具有极其重要的应用价值。     

Evidence for acrosin-like enzyme in sperm extract and its involvement in fertilization of the ascidian,halocynthia roretzi

The presence of a protease has been demonstrated in sperm of the solitary ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi, by using t-butyloxycarbonyl-L-Val-L-Pro-L-Arg-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-MCA) and other arginyl or lysyl MCA derivatives as substrates. Several properties of the enzyme were investigated in a crude extract. The activity had a pH optimum near 8.0 and was enhanced by the addition of CaCl₂. The Km value of 87μM was determined for Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-MCA under the optimal conditions. An apparent molecular weight was estimated to be 35,000 by gel filtration. The enzyme was inhibited with diisopropyl fluorophosphate, leupeptin, antipain, p-aminobenzamidine, Val-Pro-Arg-CH₂Cl, and soybean trypsin inhibitor, but scarcely inhibited with chymostatin, elastatinal, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, tosyl-Lys-CH₂Cl, and tosyl-Phe-CH₂Cl. Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-MCA, the most susceptible of the substrates examined, showed the most effective inhibition against fertilization of ascidian eggs. Thus, this enzyme in ascidian sperm extract has features closely similar to mammalian acrosin [EC 3.4.21.10], and we conclude that the enzyme is involved in fertilization as one of the lysins.     

Inhibition of Mouse Blastocyst Hatching by Subsite-Specific Trypsin Inhibitors,Peptidyl Argininals1

To explore the substrate or subsite specificity of a mouse hatching enzyme, effects of leupeptin [acetyl(P₄)-Leu(P₃)-Leu(P₂)-argininal(P₁)] and its analogs (peptidyl argininals) on mouse blastocyst hatching were investigated. The compounds containing benzyloxycarbonyl group (Z) in the P₄ position inhibited the hatching more strongly than those containing acetyl group or unprotected N-terminal amino acid. Among five Z-Leu-P₂-argininals, a derivative containing a P₂ Ser residue was the most potent inhibitor, and the derivatives containing Leu, Thr, Pro, and Gly in the P₂ position followed in this order. Then, we synthesized four Z-P₃-Ser-argininals and tested their effects on hatching. The result indicated that the compound with Phe residue in the P₃ position was the strongest inhibitor, and the Leu-, Pro-, and Ala-containing derivatives were ranked in this order. Thus, among Z-dipeptidyl-argininals tested, Z-Phe-Ser-argininal most potently inhibited the mouse embryonic hatching, suggesting the preference of the mouse hatching enzyme for Phe(P₃)-Ser(P₂)-Arg(P₁) sequence as a substrate.     

Characterisation of a specific Phycocyanin-hydrolysing protease purified from Spirulina platensis

A novel protease has been identified, purified and partially characterised from complete medium grown Spirulina platensis, which could be responsible for the selective proteolysis of phycobiliproteins. It is an 80 kDa homodimeric enzyme; its N-terminal sequence is not related to any known protease sequence. It hydrolyses native phycocyanins in both crude extracts and reconstructed systems with purified Allo- or C-phycocyanin. It is inactive on several native proteins, including ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase. The two phycocyanins are degraded at different velocities since C-phycocyanin is the better substrate, in agreement with the earlier observations on the progress of the phycobilisome disassembly. Specificity for synthetic substrates and inhibitors strongly suggests its assignment to the serine-protease family. The enzyme, however, is insensitive to the commercially available protein inhibitors of trypsin-like proteases.     

Generation,characterization and structural data of chymase binding proteins based on the human Fyn kinase SH3 domain

The serine protease chymase (EC = 3.4.21.39) is expressed in the secretory granules of mast cells, which are important in allergic reactions. Fynomers, which are binding proteins derived from the Fyn SH3 domain, were generated against human chymase to produce binding partners to facilitate crystallization, structure determination and structure-based drug discovery, and to provide inhibitors of chymase for therapeutic applications. The best Fynomer was found to bind chymase with a K_D of 0.9 nM and k_off of 6.6x10^?4 s^?1, and to selectively inhibit chymase activity with an IC₅₀ value of 2 nM. Three different Fynomers were co-crystallized with chymase in 6 different crystal forms overall, with diffraction quality in the range of 2.25 to 1.4 Å resolution, which is suitable for drug design efforts. The X-ray structures show that all Fynomers bind to the active site of chymase. The conserved residues Arg15-Trp16-Thr17 in the RT-loop of the chymase binding Fynomers provide a tight interaction, with Trp16 pointing deep into the S1 pocket of chymase. These results confirm the suitability of Fynomers as research tools to facilitate protein crystallization, as well as for the development of assays to investigate the biological mechanism of targets. Finally, their highly specific inhibitory activity and favorable molecular properties support the use of Fynomers as potential therapeutic agents.     

Generation,characterization and structural data of chymase binding proteins based on the human Fyn kinase SH3 domain

The serine protease chymase (EC = 3.4.21.39) is expressed in the secretory granules of mast cells, which are important in allergic reactions. Fynomers, which are binding proteins derived from the Fyn SH3 domain, were generated against human chymase to produce binding partners to facilitate crystallization, structure determination and structure-based drug discovery, and to provide inhibitors of chymase for therapeutic applications. The best Fynomer was found to bind chymase with a K_D of 0.9 nM and k_off of 6.6x10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, and to selectively inhibit chymase activity with an IC₅₀ value of 2 nM. Three different Fynomers were co-crystallized with chymase in 6 different crystal forms overall, with diffraction quality in the range of 2.25 to 1.4 Å resolution, which is suitable for drug design efforts. The X-ray structures show that all Fynomers bind to the active site of chymase. The conserved residues Arg15-Trp16-Thr17 in the RT-loop of the chymase binding Fynomers provide a tight interaction, with Trp16 pointing deep into the S1 pocket of chymase. These results confirm the suitability of Fynomers as research tools to facilitate protein crystallization, as well as for the development of assays to investigate the biological mechanism of targets. Finally, their highly specific inhibitory activity and favorable molecular properties support the use of Fynomers as potential therapeutic agents.     

A new kumamolisin-like protease from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius: an enzyme active under extreme acidic conditions

A new serine-carboxyl proteinase, called kumamolisin-ac, was purified from the thermoacidophilic bacterium Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius. The enzyme is a monomeric protein of 45?kDa, active over a wide temperature range (5.0–70°C) and extremely acidic pHs (1.0–4.0), showing maximal proteolytic activity at pH?2.0 and 60°C. Interestingly, kumamolisin-ac displayed a significant proteolytic activity even at 5°C, thus suggesting a sort of cold-adaptation for this enzyme. The protease was remarkably stable at high temperatures (t_1/2 at 80°C, 10?h, pH?2.0) and over a broad range of pH (2.0–7.0). Substrate analysis indicated that kumamolisin-ac was active on a variety of macromolecular substrates, such as haemoglobin, hide powder azure, and azocoll. In particular, a high specific activity was detected towards collagen. The corresponding gene was cloned, expressed and the recombinant protease, was found to be homologous to proteases of the ‘S53’ family. From the high identity with kumamolisin and kumamolisin-As, known as collagenolytic proteases, kumamolisin-ac can be considered as the third collagenolytic affiliate within the ‘S53’ family. Cleavage specificity investigation of kumamolisin-ac revealed a unique primary cleavage site in bovine insulin B-chain, whereas a broad specificity was detected using bovine α-globin as substrate. Thus, kumamolisin-ac could represent an attractive candidate for industrial-scale biopeptide production under thermoacidophilic conditions.